2Homes*2Lives

My maternal grandmother used to play a song on her grand piano called, "Enjoy Yourself, It's Later Than You Think"....enjoy, yourself, while your still in the pink...the years go by, as quickly as a wink, enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think. I remember sitting next to her on the piano bench and belting out the tune, as she accompanied me. Retirement looms in the near future and I think of how I want to spend the time. You get to a point in life when you realize you have maybe 15 to 20 yrs. to go where you may have decent health and then it's the roll being called up yonder. Bob, Beth and I were driving through a small town south of us where they happen to have a small "head" shop with a pool table that sells posters, shirts and God knows what else. I bought my Janis Joplin shirt there . Saw her perform in the Grande Ballroom in Detroit above a bar and she was stunning. I told Bob when I retire I want to dress in hippie dresses...

Husband Bob is taking care of our daughter Beth trying to get her back to health. She was bone thin and not eating, fighting taking seizure meds., not getting exercise or outside enough. She is making small progress and it warms my heart to see it. Today Bob proudly renamed himself. Instead of Manny, he's House Bitch. It s with his favorite name for me...Witch Face. When I came home from work today the house was picked up and scented candles were lit everywhere. I told him how romantic of him. "Not really" he replied, " I had Beth out in the car with me all day and we weren't home...when I returned, I lit some candles because the house smelled funky." So much for that!

Years ago a librarian friend gave me a book by Pearl S. Buck about her experience in the early 1900's putting her handicapped daughter in an institution. I don't recall the a name of the book, but I do remember being surprised that our thoughts as mothers, despite the span of years between us, were very close. (Anyone know the name of that book? I'm looking for another copy). So when I found another book by Ms. Buck called "Pavilion of Women" I had bought many years ago I thought I would read it and pass it on to my sister in law who is travelling with my older brother to China next month. By the 15th page I was so engrossed in the book, I could hardly put it down. I carry it in my purse to read any free moment I have. The main character, Madame Wu reaches her 40th birthday and decides to acquire a concubine to satisfy her husband's needs so she can move to the other side of the court the family occupies and "have her body to herself once more." Ms...

Evan is the second of our grandsons (Jake's little brother). He is just finding his footing and is so sweet and innocent. He's not huggy unless his teeth are bothering him or he just woke up. And he is independent and adventuresome. Something tells me he may be the one to have the artist ability passed on in him. A little charmer.

We visited my mother who is 86 and living in a care facility in our homestate this last weekend. Took the grandsons up to see her. Most of the time there she didn't seem to know us as she didn't really bond in her usual manner. When I hugged and kissed her good-bye she did not respond as she has before with some comments. It's hard seeing her fading mentally. She looks good physically, eats well and they take good care of her, but I wonder if it is fair to her that she lives that way. Of course, I want her with us as long as we can have her selfishly because I won't want that day to come when we must part. But it's still hard saying goodbye to her mind and the essence of who she was to all of us. I am glad that we've had a chance to show her how much we love her and to understand what aging is like at the end and how much dignity she gives to even that.

A niece is enduring heartbreak and having gone through it in my youth I know that it literally feels like a hole in your heart. How to trust those you confided in and trusted. Once you have been so open with another human being and they turn their back on you, it's a door slammed in your face. A new road has to be taken and it redirects your life. I've learned that the new roads are the ones you should be on, to lead your life another direction (because I believe God has a plan for each of us), but it does not make the pain any less intense. I admire my niece for facing it headon and making steps to move beyond it. Say a prayer for her, will you? When more than one comes together in prayer, as the saying goes, miracles happen.

Four of my high school girlfriends came to the cottage the last weekend there. Two who could not come sent regrets...Peg and Carol (she sent the most beautiful spray of flowers!). They went to Mackinac Island, but otherwise hung out at the cottage and a couple of towns nearby. There is something about being with females you have grown up with as they know you inside and out. Or so it seems. I realized when we got together how many years we had been apart and for some strange reason shared some scary incidents in my life that just kind of came out of my mouth without intending to... Jake, Beth and Bob were there...I had thought I would be able to spend all the time with the girls on the weekend, maybe next time we are together. We named it the second annual Julie's Weekend because she hosted the first one in our hometown and has since died from cancer. We felt her presence with us, as well as those of other girlfriends though. We were a fairly cohesive group of about a dozen gals ba...

Somehow I had the mistaken thought that I would have more time to post onto this blog at the cottage, but the truth is I have less time all around now. We replaced two country couches Bob bought at auction a couple of years ago for a paltry $25 . Now we have a leather couch and love seat with 4 recliners in them...makes it like a movie theatre. The couches blend with our hated mustard and brown carpet from the previous owners. Next summer, after 15 yrs. of living with it, we hope to replace it and all the walls with pine. Then Bob found a neighbor willing to sell almost new snowmobiles, so that shot the furniture buying! We did, however, find a great antique dealer eager to sell and for under $500 bought an entire bedroom set for our daughter. It's shown here in a back bedroom where we also installed two new windows. The old windows were nothing more than single panes of glass framed in...that's the way they did things in the old cottages. Bob also put in a new stove top (we a...

Bob bought Jake a tool kit and he's busy at work this morning!!

We have our grandson Jake with us this week until we leave for our home below. He's been a challenge to keep up with most days. Most of the time he runs with Grandpa Bob...he just calls him Bob for some reason. Today he was screaming "GaGa" (me) at the top of his lungs and when I saw what he had, pulled out my camera. Need to take a lot more before we leave next week and post....

With only 4 weeks at the cottage this year we are all about being productive...at least that is my husband's frame of mind. I'm avoiding the computer at night to be able to get up mornings, as Bob is an early riser and can't stand anyone else sleeping if he is awake...typical hyper diaper. If he thinks he can't get me to leave bed he's great at serving me breakfast in bed, so it's worth it to wait him out!!! This morning it was coffee, fruit and toast. Some mornings it's actually bacon and eggs. I adore the luxury...though the kitchen is usually left a mess. In fact, he just brought me a premixed strawberry daiquiri at the computer in a cute pink plastic martini glass....funky and cute. Guess he's hoping it will make me tired of being online. I take one day a week off from Bob and give him the other six to roam while here. It drives him nuts to be grounded for just one day with our daughter Beth. Beth turns 28 yr. this month, but is mentally less than 5....

My sister Martha (on right), her dog Nikko, and daughter Errin visited one weekend. The photo was taken on the boat to Mackinac Island...

"Garden Susie" sits at the end of our drive... We arrived at the cottage June 20th. Will only be here until the end of July :( ---- The phone was not working and a call to the company initiated a service call. Seems they moved the wires underground and had no record of our having had a phone since 2002 so did not give us a line! They will be putting one in and gave us a temp. A week later none of the phones on the point worked, but no reason given as to why. Then the computer didn't work because the local provider had equipment problems. My sister Martha and her daughter Errin came for the weekend and we had a great time. They went to Mackinac Island one day and we hit a casino at night...Errin was a virgin gambler and won over $100...she left happy:). A cap on a tooth came loose from eating an olive burger at one of our favorite local joints, Clyde's, by the Mackinac Bridge. -- Went in to a local dentist and he charged $233.00 upfront to xray the tooth root and glue ...

http://www.anahataart.com/page/page/3416007.htm Copy and paste the above into your browser if the link does not work...seeing Anahata's site is like an artist candy store...It's absolutely one of the most inspiring sites out there! Color and images that pour out of her into collages that are simply gorgeous...She's Star Quality!

My father Wellesley Alexander was the best father a girl could ever have. He was raised by John and Elizabeth, two parents with stately confidence. John was an artist who started a cemetery monument business with his art ability and Elizabeth did well in the stock market, taking the boys back to their roots in Scotland... trips Dad never forgot. Dad had one brother Ian. I never heard either brother say anything unkind about the other. Dad worked in the family business most of his life. His health declined in his early 70's...heart problems, depression, and many other problems that my mother tried to cope with, using up her health. He spent his last years in three different resthomes. It will always haunt me how sad his last years were on this earth. In his bitterness, he lashed out at my brothers and sister, but never at me...I guess I wasn't there as often, living out of state. He was human and made mistakes. He opened an Edsel dealership which was to be the downfall of his fi...

Today I felt alive again. Pitching and actually working on paper piles...have been stacking things too long. Found a list of people on our jury for the malpractice suit 16 yrs. ago for our daughter...intended to thank them right after the the case settled our direction, but I guess I could still try... May be hard telling them thanks for their time after so many years. Also found a business card an old boyfriend gave to my sister to give to me. She said he was now a lawyer but had a bad muscular disease and I wonder now if he is still living...he wrote his home number on the back, but I'd never call his house as he married and had kids. And a note from the daughter of a friend who died a couple of years ago...Martha was a librarian/artist who grew up in New Orleans and had the best sense of humor. Should contact her daughter Perry. Martha is buried in a vault in a mausoleum across the street from Erma Bombeck's grave. We went there once to visit Martha's husband's vault...

Lacking motivation and sleeping too much.It's time to get in the race and kick butt...time to get out of my comfy blue robe. I have one comic relief...Good old Cartman from South Park....Makes me LOL every time!!

This handmade female bunny outfit was one of husband Bob's finds at a garage sale..only $5. It's adorable, but one of only 10 things brought home yesterday. Usually he buys antiques that can be resold for more money at auctions or Ebay, but storing them all has become a problem. The bunny will probably stay as it will amuse our daughter and grandchildren, like the Santa suit in the closet that Bob wears every year. The bunny suit will no doubt end up being my claim to fame. Bob is forever into fun. I enjoy that about him but it also makes it hard as I struggle to simplify life.

To move to the summer cottage is like making a meal and having to clean up the kitchen (house) eat the meal (pack) and then have dessert (arrive at the cottage). I have done this for 13 yrs. and you would think that it would get easier. But we have accumulated more here and at the cottage and it is hard to remember what is in the other place, depending on where you are! I want to get to the dessert but it takes time. I guess in a way it's my just dessert for living a life so recklessly. Organized Chaos.